Sony Music is enabling the opportunity with ecards online at http://www.SingWithThe
King.com. Fans can record the classic Christmas tune with Elvis Presley’s voice and send it to family and friends along with a personal message on the holiday ecard.
They can also see a video of Elvis and Martina McBride singing the tune, which is on the “Elvis Presley Christmas Duets” CD released by Sony on Oct. 14. It represents the first – but probably not the last—duet recordings album released featuring tracks with Presley’s voice. Country stars Carrie Underwood and Sara Evans also recorded duets on the album.
While baby boomers are a prime target for the ecard duets, Matt Stringer, senior vice president of marketing and new product development for Sony BMG, noted that Elvis has a “uniquely” broad appeal among music fans.
“This was an interesting and compelling way to generate incremental awareness for the [duets] project and also allows the fans to interact with and participate in the project,” he said.
The ecards were launched on Dec. 3 with TV appearances of McBride in the video with Elvis. The ecards will be available through the beginning of next year, as Sony BMG looks to build an even broader audience for the late Presley’s music.
“With Elvis we are always looking for ways to introduce him to a younger audience. Viral tools like this support that objective,” said Bob Hoch, senior director of online marketing for Sony BMG Music Entertainment.
Presley’s holiday albums have sold more than 25 million copies in the U.S. to date, notwithstanding the fact that he recorded only 20 Christmas tunes.
The release is the latest legacy of the legendary singer, who died 31 years ago.
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